Finger-movement-writing instrument



March 11, 1958 F. J. OCONNELL 2,826,175

FINGERMOVEMENT-WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 6, 1955 IINVENTOR. FEAA K J. OC0/1/A/EZL 2,826,175 FINGER-MOVEMENT-WRKTING INSTRUMENT Frank J. OConnell, Girard, Ohio Application September 6, 1955, Serial No. 532,602 2 Claims. (Cl. 1201i)2) This invention relates to writing instruments, and more particularly has reference to a mechanical pencil, pen, or the like, so designed as to prevent finger movement during writing, thus to, in turn, encourage proper arm movement, alleviate cramping of the fingers, and form a proper, flowing, writing style.

Normally, a pen, pencil, or the like is held adjacent the tip, being gripped entirely by the fingers. As a result, the tendency on the part of the writer is to grip the instrument with excessive tightness, and there is the further tendency the excessive finger movement results, with the writer attempting to form the characters by movement of the fingers, rather than by arm movement, which is the proper manner of writing.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a writing instrument, which can be a ball pen or sharply tipped pen, mechanical pencil, etc., so designed as to provide a plurality of points of control or grip between the pencil and instrument, and the supporting of the instrument by the hand in such a position as to insure to the maximum extent the prevention of finger movement. The resulting improved control of the direction of movement of the instrument, and the proper arm movement are designed to provide a flowing writing style with a minimum of cramping of the fingers.

Another object is to cause the hand to be so disposed about the instrument as to locate the finger tips where they will glide over the surface on which the instrument is being used.

Another object is to provide a device as stated which will be adjustable as to length, so as to fit hands of different sizes.

Still another object of importance is to provide a particular shape of head on the device that will cause said head to fit into the hand between the thumb and forefinger, with the head curving over the top of the hand and having an extension projecting to the center of the palm, this particular head formation being an important characteristic of the invention designed to produce the above stated desirable results.

Another object of importance is to provide a device which will include, in addition to a head formed as stated above, a spring loaded element pivotally mounted upon the body of the instrument, which element is adapted to exert a resilient, yielding pressure against the index finger, tending to properly position the index or forefinger during the writing.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View of a writing instrument formed according to the present invention, as it appears when in use;

Figure 2 is a view of said instrument partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

2,826,175 Patented Mar. ll, 1958 Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device as seen from the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Hereinafter, the term writing as used in the description and in the claims shall be intended to embrace any and all instruments adapted for writing, such as ball pens, mechanical pencils, etc. The writing instrument constituting the present invention includes an elongated body 10 which in the present instance is of externally circular cross section, but can be of hexagonal, octagonal, or other non-circular cross sectional shape. The body 10 is formed for the greatest part of its length to a constant cross sectional area, and at one end, is provided with a tapering extension 12 emerging into the writing tip 14.

A short, longitudinally curved arm 16, having its convex surface faced toward the adjacent surface of body 10, is pivotally connected at 18 to swing about an axis normal to the length of the body. The arm 16 is spring biased outwardly from the body by means of a spring 20, one end of which seats in a recess formed in the surface of the body 10, and the other end of which is engaged against the underside of the pivoted arm.

Formed in the body 10 at the end thereof remote from the tip 14 is an axial, threaded socket 225 in which is threadedly engaged a stem 24 projecting beyond the ad jacent end of body 10 and formed at its projecting end with a cross head 26. The cross head 26, so far as its general shape is concerned, is arcuately formed, with the stem fixed to the crest point of the arch, and the concave surface of the cross head being spaced away from the stem and body. The cross head is of a length (see Figure 1) to permit one end portion thereof to fit about the hand between the thumb and forefinger, curving over the top of the hand, while the other end portion thereof extends to the center of the palm.

The threaded connection of the stem to the body permits adjustment of the overall length of the device, to permit it to comfortably fit hands of different sizes, and further, the threaded adjustment permits the proper positioning of the instrument while writing at a selected angle of inclination from the vertical.

The device is gripped in the manner shown in Figure l, and as illustrated, the arm 16 presses resiliently, yieldably against the inner surface of the outer joint of the forefinger, with the forefinger and thumb lightly gripping the writing instrument. When the device is held in this manner, the cross head fits against the hand in the manner previously described and shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The arm 16, in some embodiments, can be eliminated, but when used, acts in cooperation with the cross head to assure proper positioning of the device relative to the hand, and proper positioning of the finger relative to the device and to the writing surface.

A device formed as illustrated and described prevents finger movement, and in turn encourages proper arm movement to form the best writing style. The device is specially adapted, but is not necessarily limited, to use by beginning writers in the primary grades.

Normally all pencils and pens have only one point of control or grip, that is, at the tip of the pencil or other writing instrument, permitting finger movement and encouraging excessively tight clamping of the instrument by the user. This causes cramping of the fingers, resulting not only in discomfort but in improper writing style and poorly formed characters. Of importance, in this regard, is the fact that the construction is such as to insure against slippage of the device from proper position relative to the hand, regardless of the length of time the device is held, the rapidity with which it is used, or other factors resulting from the writing habits of the particular user.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of theprinciples, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A Writing instrument comprising an elongated body including means at one end to inscribe characters upon a writing surface, said body having an axial, threaded recess at its other end; a threaded stem engaged in said recess and projecting at one end beyond said other end of the body to form an extension of the body adjustable both rotatably upon and axially of the body; and a cross head rigid With and lying transversely of said one end of the stem, said cross head being of a Width, from one to its opposite end, no greater than the thickness of the body, the longitudinal medians of the cross head, stem, and body lying in a common plane and the opposite side edges of the cross head being symmetrically disposed at opposite sides of said plane, said stem being joined to the cross head intermediate the ends of the cross head with the portion of the cross head at one side of the stem being slightly longer and being curved more gently than the portion of the cross head at the other side of the stem.

2. A writing instrument comprising an elongated body including means at one end to inscribe characters upon a writing surface, said body having an axial, threaded recess at its other end; a threaded stein engaged in said i recess and projecting at one end beyond said other end of the body to form an extension of the body adjustable both rotatably upon and axially of the body; a cross head rigid with and lying transversely of said one end of the stem, said cross head being of a width, 'from one to its opposite end, no greater than the thickness of the body, the longitudinal medians of the cross head, stem, and body lying in a common plane and the opposite side edges of the cross head being symmetrically disposed at opposite sides of said plane, said stem being joined to the cross head intermediate the ends of the cross head With the portion of the cross head at one side of the stem being slightly longer and being curved more gently than the portion of the cross head at the other side of the stem; and a finger rest adjacent said one end of the body, said finger rest comprising an arm pivotally connected to the body for swinging movement about an axis normal to the axis of rotatable adjustment of the stem, said arm being springbiascd outwardly from the body to a normal position extending obliquely to the length of the body, and being formed, adjacent its pivotal connection to the stem, with an integral abutment engageable with the body to limit swinging of the arm inwardly toward the stem beyond a position in which the arm still extends obliquely to the length of the stem.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 600,5ll Bye Mar. 15, i898 629,436 Faust July 25, 1899 938,654 Dyches Nov. 2, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS 100,123 Germany Jan. 20, 1898 26,918 Norway May 1, 1916 

